The object of the present invention is to provide an improved gravity-assisted fountain brush for painting small objects, such as fingernails.
More particularly, the invention has for its object to provide a fountain brush having a minimum number of parts including essentially only one moving part, namely, a gravity controlled applicator brush unit which operates inside of a relatively stationary one-piece valve body to control the dispensing of a liquid to the applicator brush without dripping or overflow.
Certain known prior art fountain brushes exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 877,822; 4,063,829, both issued to LaMura, and others, show gravity controlled fountain brushes in which a valve device separate from the movable brush unit regulates the flow of liquid to the applicator brush. The present invention essentially eliminates this separate control valve means and allows the weighted brush holder and the one-piece valve body within which the brush holder moves to form a satisfactory valve or regulator of the flow of liquid to the applicator brush. The elimination of the separate valve means materially reduces the cost of manufacturing the fountain brush without sacrificing its convenience and reliability of operation. The construction of the device in accordance with the invention is also more compact than known prior art devices and less susceptible to clogging or binding or other malfunctioning of moving parts.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following detailed description.